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Focus on Gender

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by lack of access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health.

Investing in scaling up local solutions means investing in local economies, local supply chains that are powered, especially in the sanitation and menstrual health space, a lot by women.

In emerging markets, SMEs create 7 out of 10 jobs in the formal economy, and the sanitation economy is a leader in job creation. 

Bringing a gender lens into funding for sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health is not a good to have, it is a must have. Because women are half the world’s population, half the world’s economy, and the only way to end the gendered impacts of lack of access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health is by making very conscious gender-smart investments in these sectors. 

All of our work at SHF has a gender lens and contributes to more women having voice and participating in the sanitation economy and MHH market. Investing in sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health is an investment in women, and the societies and economies they power.

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